1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a pail with a retractable spout for dispensing a substance in the form of particles or granules therefrom, in particular, an airtight pail containing salt products for melting ice and snow.
2. Description of Related Art
xe2x80x9cSalt productxe2x80x9d is defined herein to include particles or granules, such as calcium chloride, sodium chloride, magnesium chloride and/or other substances that are effective to melt ice and/or snow on surfaces, for example, driveways and walkways. Exposure of the salt product to the air is undesirable in that it causes clumping of the granules. Accordingly, it is desirable to package the salt product in airtight containers. Heretofore, salt products have generally been packaged in high density polyethylene (HDP) bags that are hermetically sealed. Bags of salt products are piled high onto pallets and wrapped together with an outer sheet of plastic to prevent slippage during shipping. Once the pallet has arrived at the store the outer plastic wrapping is removed, typically with a knife or other sharp instrument. The bags are highly susceptible to being slit open when the outer plastic wrap is removed from the pallet. If slit open, the salt product will be exposed to the atmosphere causing the product to clump making it less desirable to the consumer.
Another disadvantage associated with the use of HDP bags is that they are not readily stackable and prone to slippage during transport of the pallet from the manufacturer to the store. Generally the bags of salt product are sold at the store directly from the pallet on which they are shipped. Movement of the bags during transport from the manufacturer to the store may result in the uneven distribution of the bags stacked upon each other so that removal of one bag from the pallet by the consumer may result in an avalanche of other bags. Furthermore, if the bag is slit open some of the salt product may dispense therefrom and raise serious safety concerns.
The HDP bags in which the salt product is conventionally sold is not resealable. Salt product is typically sold in 10 lb., 25 lb., 50 lb., and 80 lb. bags. Since the product is sold in such large quantities, a consumer generally uses only a small quantity of the salt product with each use and there is no convenient way to easily reseal the bag to prevent clumping.
In addition, transportation and storage of the bag by the consumer is awkward. Due to the heavy weight of the typically sold bag of salt product consumers have a tendency to drag the bag or drop it on to the ground. Handling of the bag in such manner can easily result in, splits, punctures, and tears in the bag. This problem is further compounded by the fact that the bag of salt product is typically stored in a damp place, for example, the garage. As previously mentioned if salt product is exposed to moisture it will disadvantageously clump.
Pail lids with spouts have been widely used for years to provide consumers with the option of dispensing the contents of the pail through the spout. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,774,523 to Rieke discloses a metal liquid container or can with a pull out spout disposed in a neck of an opening defined in the lid. The patented spout is not connected to the neck or lid. When forcibly pulled upwards the spout is slidably displaced through the neck of the opening in the lid. In a closed position, the top shoulders disposed proximate the top of the spout engage with a retaining ring disposed about a sealing plug to seal the contents within the pail. To dispense the contents of the container through the spout, the spout is pulled up through the neck by a pull tab with a sufficient amount of force so that the top shoulders of the spout pass beyond the retaining ring. The spout continues to be displaced upward until lower shoulders disposed proximate the bottom of the spout engage with the retaining ring to form a seal to prevent leakage while the contents of the pail is dispensed through the spout. The seal formed between the shoulders of the spout and retaining ring is not air tight. Accordingly, this spout is not suitable for storing a product that is not be exposed to air.
A similar lid and pouring spout apparatus is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,992,710 that is integrally molded in a single step. This patented device has a neck integrally formed as part of the lid. A pouring spout is located within the opening in the lid and movable between a pouring position and a retracted position. In the retracted position the spout mates with and is substantially flush with the top of the neck. As the spout is pulled upwards a gate initially connecting the spout and neck is severed allowing the spout to be slidably displaced relative to the neck and lid until a lowered chamfered portion disposed at the bottom of the spout mates with a complementary angled lower portion of the neck to form a seal therebetween. Once again the seal formed between the neck and spout is not airtight. Accordingly, such pail containers as disclosed in the aforementioned patents would not be suitable for storing a product that is best when not exposed to air.
It is therefore desirable to develop a pail that solves the aforementioned problems and has a spout for readily dispensing a product without having to remove the lid.
The present invention is a container having a pail and a lid with a retractable spout that solves the aforementioned problems.
An object of the invention is to provide a container having a pail and lid which is airtight.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a container in which the pail and lid are non-releasably sealed together so that it is child proof.
Still another object of the present invention is provide a container that is less susceptible to slits, punctures, and tears than conventional HDP bags.
One other object of the present invention is to provide a container that is made substantially from plastic so as to be recylcable without having to separate its components.
In particular, the invention is a container for storing a product. The container includes a pail, a lid secured to the top of the pail, and a spout disposed in an opening defined in the lid. The spout is displaceable between a retracted position wherein the spout projects inwardly into the pail and an extended position wherein the spout projects outwardly from the lid away from the pail. The spout has a free end and an opposite end permanently secured at all times to the lid proximate the opening irrespective of the positioning of the spout.
The invention also relates to a method for manufacturing a container as described above. One end of the spout is inserted so as to project through the opening in the lid. Thereafter, the opposite end of the spout is permanently secured to the lid proximate the opening so as to form a hermetic seal therebetween.
In addition, the invention is directed to a method for manufacturing a container, as described above, containing a product. The product is first dispensed through the open top into the pail. A lid is then non-releasably secured to the pail with the product disposed therein.
Furthermore, the invention is to a method for dispensing a product from a container, as described above, in which the product is stored. The spout is pulled from a retracted position wherein the spout projects inwardly into the pail to an extended position wherein the spout projects outwardly from the lid away from the pail. Thereafter, a closure cap is removed from the spout and the product is dispensed from the container exclusively through the spout.